Friction-clutch.



C. M. ALLEN.

FRICTION CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8. 1912.

Patented May 4:, 1915.

[nven for Minesses QS I 12977,.

CHARLES M. ALLEN, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

I Application filed February 8, 1912. Serial No. 676,455.

To all whom it may concern 'Be it known that 1, Cinemas M. ALLEN, acitizen of the United States,'residingat Worcester, in the county ofWorcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have 111 vented anew anduseful Improvement in Friction-Clutches, of which the following is aspecification accompanied by drawings, forming a part of the same.

My present invention relates to a friction clutch in whi'ch theengagement of the clutching members is controlled by hydrostaticpressure.

The objects of my invention are, to provide for a slipping actionbetween the clutching members, to regulate the amount of powertransmitted, and to control the frictional engagement of the clutchingmembers by the speedof the driven member. These objects among others Iaccomplish by the construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafterdescribed and pointed out in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a centralsectional view of a friction clutch embodying my present invention.Fig.2 is a fragmentary side View of the friction disk and one of theinclosing cases. i I

Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in thedifferent views.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 denotes a shaft journaled in abearing 2. To the end 'of the shaft 1 I attach a hub 3 of a disk 4 bymeans of a key 5. J ournaled' upon the hub 3, on one side of the disk 4,is a casing 6 recessed on its inner side to provide an annular chamber7, and also provided with an inner annular'recess 8. On

the opposite side of the disk 4 is a similar casing 9 having its innerside recessed to provide an annular chamber 10 and also having anannular recess 11. The casing 9 is journaled on the hub 3 and is itselfprovided with a hub 12 whichjincloses and is capable of rotating about ahollow fixed journal 13. The end of the hub 12 constitutes a stuflingbox 14 adapted to receive a packing 15 which is compressed in the usualmanner by a screw-threaded gland 16 in order to: form a Water tightjoint between the b 1%- and he fixed bearin 13,

nected by a pipe 22 with a valve chamber 23 provided with an outletpassage 24.

The peripheries of the casings 6 and 9 are secured by bolts 25 to theinner flange 26 of an annular rim 27, having a periphery28 adapted toreceive a belt, or, if desired, provided with gear teeth. The innerflange 26 forms a spacing ring between the peripheries of the casings 6and 9. Glamped between the flange 26 and the edges of the casings 6 and9 are annular copper disks 29 and 30, having their inner edges providedwith outwardly turned flanges 31, 31, which are crowded against thecasing 6 and 9 by clamping rings 32, 32.

. The extension pipe 17 forms a communi- I eating passage between thewater supply pipe 19 and a cored passage 33 in the casing 9. The coredpassage 33 is extended through the entire side of the casing 9 andcomn1unicates at its outer end with achamber 34 formed in the outeredges of the casings 6 and 9 extending through the copper disks 29 and30. The chamber 34 communicates through the passages 35 and 36 with thechambers 7 and 10 upon the outer sides of the copper disks 29 and 30,thereby providing means for the introduction of water under pressure tothe chambers 7 and 10. The chambers 7 and 10 communicate throughpassages 37 and 38 with a chamber 39, similar to the chamber 34 andformed in the outer edges of the casings 6 and 9 and extending throughthe inner flange 26 of the rim 27 and also through the copper disks 29and 30; The chamber 39 communicates with a vpassage 40 cored 'in theside of the casing 9 and leading to"the chamber 18 inclosed in the fixedjournal 13, therebyproviding for an outlet from th chambers 7 and 0through he valve chamb gggiz I The inlet andi'outlet passages areprovided is extended upward through the casing of the valve chamber 23and-is connected at its upper end'with a centrifugal governor 46,capable of being rotated through a belt pulley 47, which is connected inany. convenient manner, not shown, with the driven member of the clutch.

The normal position of the governor 46 serves to hold the valves 43 and44 closed, but when the rotation of the governor exceeds a certain speedthe valve stem 45 becomesdepressed by the outward movement of thegovernor balls 48, 48, thereby opening the valves 43 and 44 andincreasing the area of the outlet, passage. Between the outer edge ofthe disk 4 and the inner edge of the flange 26 is a space 49. The space49 communicates with the annular recesses 8 exhaust flow of water fromthe clutch.

When the rotation of the governor, as rociently to relieve the pressureagainst the copper disks 29 and 30 and reduce the speed of the drivenmember of the clutch. An adjustment of the effective water pressure uponthe disks 29 and 30 will also be accomplished by the operator by meansof the hand valves 41 and 42.

I claim,

1. In a clutch, frictionally enga 'ng driving and driven members, meansfldr-ap lying aliquid pressure to force saidmem ers into contact, andmeans actuated by the rotation of said driven member for controllingthedischarge of liquid from one of said members, whereby to remove theheat generated by the friction of. said members.

2. In a clutch, frictionally engaging driving and. driven members, meansfor applyers and 11 by means of radial channels 50, and ing a fluid.pressure to force said mem 51, and the-recesses ,8 and 11 communicatewith each other by passages 52, 52. The recesses 8 and 11- are filledwith oil through an oil hole which is closed by the screw threaded plug53. The oil contained in the recesses 8 and 11 is thrown outward throughthe radial channels 50 and 51 and lubricates the contacting surfaces ofthe disk 4 and the annular copper disks 29 and 30.

- The operation of my improved clutch is as follows :Water underpressure is admitted through the supply pipe 19, causing the chambers 7and 10 to be filled. As the outlet passage is normally closed by thegovernor valves 43 and 44 the water pressure will be applied tothesurfaces of the copper disks 29 and 30 to force them against the.

sides of the disk 4-which is keyed upon the shaft 1. If rotary motion isapplied to the casings 6 and 9 by means of a belt connection on thesurface 28 with a suitable m0- tive power, the frictional contact of thedisks 29 and 30 with the disk 4 will impart a rotary motion to the shaft1, or if rotary mdtion beimparted to the shaft 1 it will in like mannerbe imparted to the casings 6 and 9, and the rim 27.

If a belt connection be established between the driven member of theclutch and the governor pulley 47, the governor 46 will be'rotated,allowing the centrifugal force to throw the governor balls 48, 48,outward and depress the valve stem 45, which will open the valves 43 and44. An exhaust flow of water from the chambers 7 and 10 is there-v byestablished, which 1s constantly being supplied from the inlet passage,-thereby causing any heat generated by the slipping into contact, meansfor controlling the inflow and outflow of pressure medium to and fromsaid clutch, and independent means actuated by the rotation of saiddriven member for'controlling the outflow of pressure medium therefrom.

' 3. In a clutch, driving and driven members, one of which comprises arotatable casing carrying a pair of yielding disks, and the other arotatable disk interposed between said yielding disks, said rotatablecasing having. communicating chambers opening against said yieldingdisks, and means for supplying a liquid under pressure to said chambers.

4. In a clutch, frictional engaging members, means for applying liquidunder pressure to force said members into contact, a

valve controlled outlet for the liquid applied .to said frictionalmembers, and means for varying said outlet by the speed of the I havinginlet and outlet. passages, a valve for controlling said outlet passageand a. governor for actuating said valve operatively connected with thedriven member of the clutch.

6. In a clutch, frictional driving and driven members, means forapplying a liquid pressure to force said members into contact,comprising a chamber for the liquid having inlet and outlet passages, avalve normally closing said outlet passage, and a centrifugal governorrotated by the driven member of the clutch for opening said valve at a.predetermined speed of said driven member.

7. In a clutch, driving and. driven mem- ,tatable disk having radialchannels in combers,-one of which comprises a rotatable munication withsaid annular channels. casing carrying a pair of yielding disks and theother a rotatable disk interposed be- CHARLES ALLEN" 5 tweensaid'yielding disks, said rotatable cas- Witnesses:

in having annular channels on opposite PENELOPE Oomnnnmcn,

si es of said rotatable disk, and said. ro- NnLLm WHALEN.

